


Detour

by EmilyScully



Category: The X-Files
Genre: F/M, Sleeping Bag Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-19 13:23:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11314290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmilyScully/pseuds/EmilyScully
Summary: A rewrite of S05E04:Detour in which they DO have a sleeping bag to share





	Detour

**Author's Note:**

> It's not finished and may never be

The starry sky lit the brambles past the tall pine trees that guarded the forest, protecting the secrets of the rabbits and foxes that dwelled there. A small gap in these defenders allowed the constellation to display a glimpse into a universe that continued to elude the two agents who stared silently back at it that night. 

Scully struck the two rocks in her hands against one another in another failed attempt to light a fire. She sighed and retreated, pulling her elbows onto her knees. "You were an Indian guide. Help me out here," she sounded, turning her gaze to Mulder who laid against a log, shivering as he gripped his wounded arm.

"Indian guide says maybe you should run to the store and get some matches," he replied in a deadpan.

"I would, but I left my wallet in the car,” Scully trailed off. The car was miles from them now and it was night. Their strategic stone trail was disturbed, leaving them lost in the forest with a beast. Scully stood from her crouching position at the fire pit and moved to sit beside Mulder, their jacket covered shoulders brushing one another – always so close but equally as far.

Scully focused on her gun, pulling at the cartridge as Mulder watched her curiously.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"Trying to open my gun," she responded, in a whisper and a teasing smile that took him off guard. This entire detour had shown him a side of Scully he didn't often see: a woman who enjoyed his sarcastic jokes in the car, who didn't mind breaking the rules that prevented them from consorting in a motel room together, and who whispered to him almost seductively at night in a forest. It was true that they were not on an assignment and, as a result, not limited to their usual professional demeanors but it was still new. And Mulder was blowing her off at every turn, again. He had strayed from the car ride, he left her in his motel after she had brought them both cheese and wine, and now he was too wounded to keep her small frame warm. What kind of a partner was he? Or friend? Or.... more? Mulder shook his head and turned his attention back to Scully.

She clicked open her gun and slid the cartridge out, deftly. "If I can separate the shell from the casing, maybe I can get the powder to ignite," she responded in her usual, professional tone. There it was again.

"Oh," Mulder replied, throwing his head back against the mossy log holding both of them up, "And maybe it'll start raining weenies and marshmallows," he jabbed. 

She clicked closed her gun, "Do I detect a hint of negativity?" 

"No. Yes.... actually, yeah," he fumbled, unable to filter his thoughts anymore. He was tired and hurt and while Scully's idea was admirably smart as always, Mulder was too distracted by his pain and surrounding environment to value it.

Scully looked around for a moment before her striking blue eyes scanned his fetal position next to her. "Mulder, you need to keep warm, your body's still in shock" she said, concerned. 

"I was told once that the best way to regenerate body heat was to crawl naked into a sleeping bag with somebody else who’s already naked," he stated, matter-of-factly. It was sudden and he snuggled closer to her shoulder, expecting a sarcastic remark in return.

Moments passed and Scully did not respond. He looked up at her and noticed that she had stopped fumbling with the bullet. "That would place your body's heat at mine," she sounded, finally and logically.

He paused to note her ponder and continued, "Yeah, since the natural body temperature of the human body is around 98 degrees Fahrenheit and a sleeping bag is a fully enclosed garment, it would technically be the equivalent of an incubator."

Scully set her gun down and walked over to their belongings, shuffling through the various items that their team had brought. Mulder watched her rummage through various items until a long, blanket-like shape emerged from the bag. A sleeping bag.

"There's a sleeping bag here," Scully stated, standing up from her crouch and holding it up for him to see. 

His mouth fell agape slightly and he hurried to find his thoughts, "Is it still consorting if it’s vital?" He asked, finally, after remembering their exchange in the motel room.

Scully broke into a small smile and looked at the sleeping bag, "Are you able to walk?"

"Slightly," Mulder responded.

"So you could get up on your own if you needed to?"

He moved to sit upright, "I think so."

Scully nodded to signal her understanding. Despite his fatigue, he focused on her expectantly, unsure of the direction this was taking but eager for every moment of it. Climbing into a sleeping bag naked with a naked Scully already inside was not something he expected this trip into the woods to result in. 

She gathered the long sleeping bag up in her arms and walked over to him, setting it down at their feet. She crouched down in front of him and began to pull the zipper of his jacket down. 

“What are you doing?” He asked with curiosity rather than disdain.

“I figured I’d help you with your jacket and shirt,” she responded, her eyes finding his and her voice dropping an octave, “I’m sure you can get the rest,” she whispered as she continued to pull the zipper down until the jacket opened to his button up shirt.

“Get the rest?” Mulder barely managed.

“Off,” she responded, finishing his question as if it were a statement she had cut off. She unbuttoned his shirt until it fell at his sides and his tanned, lean chest was bare to her. “Here, lean forward,” she beckoned him and he followed. She slipped the sleeves of both of the garments off his back, folding them lazily and setting them aside. 

“Now,” she started, turning her attention to him so that they were staring into each other’s eyes. She kept her hands at her sides and her whisper from before returned, “I’m going to go behind this log,” she touched the mossy tree behind him, leaning closer to him, “and get ready and when I say so, you come around, okay?”

Mulder nearly choked when he swallowed his saliva. “Okay,” he replied, hoping his voice wasn’t visibly shaking. He wasn’t even in the sleeping bag yet but he could feel his pants growing tighter.

“Okay,” she responded, pulling away and walking the length of the log before turning left at its end and vanishing behind him. 

He quickly fumbled with his jeans and suddenly realized what was happening. He was going to have to walk over naked. Would he allow her to see him? No, he couldn’t. That would change the premises of this situation. She wouldn’t let him see her naked, right? He kicked his shoes off and slipped his socks off his feet when he heard her.

“I’m ready, Mulder.”

He sighed, a smile playing on his lips. What was she doing to him? He shook his head. No. She was saving him. That’s all this was and it was wrong to consider it as anything more. She was his partner and, while they had never discussed it in words before, they were under a mutual understanding that their lives could end at any point during a mission if it meant saving the other. 

“Are you in the sleeping bag?” he asked as he undid his belt.

A moment passed. “Yes,” she replied.

He stood up, allowing gravity to pull his pants off of him, “I’m going to walk in from the direction you went in so could you turn to your left?” It would be best if they didn’t see each other’s full, naked bodies in a context like this. Especially since his slight erection wasn’t completely tame yet.

“Okay,” she agreed.


End file.
